Magnetic recording media such as magnetic tapes or magnetic discs are prepared by dispersing magnetic particles in a solution of a resinous binder, coating a substrate with the dispersion, subjecting the coated substrate to the action of a magnetic field to orient the magnetic particles in a desired direction and then heating the coated substrate to evaporate the solvent and set or cure the resin. Orientation of the magnetic particles by action of a magnetic field on the coating before it is dried improves the performance characteristics of the finished recording medium by increasing the signal output and reducing background noise level. Epoxy resins are desirable binder components of magnetic coating compositions and their use results in a hard thermoset coating which is resistant to wear, abrasion, head loading and crash in the course of use. Magnetic coatings produced heretofore using epoxy resins have generally exhibited orientation ratios in the range about 1.1 to 1.6. Higher orientation ratios are desirable since they provide improved performance of the magnetic recording medium. Pursuant to the present invention, magnetic coating compositions employing epoxy resins as all or as the major proportion of the resin component and exhibiting orientation ratios in the range 1.8 to 2.4 are produced. Orientation ratio is the ratio of the strength of the magnetic field of the coating in the direction in which the particles have been oriented divided by the strength of the field in a direction perpendicular to the direction of orientation.